What used to be considered a luxury is gaining momentum as the expected norm. We crave meaning in the workplace; we want to know how our role fits into the bigger picture. We want safe cultures where we feel comfortable to ask for help and don’t fear making a mistake.

Regardless, raises and promotions promised but, in the end, never materialize reveal a lack of honesty and integrity, and is a sure-fire way to disengage your people.

Solution: Keep your promises! If a promise can’t be granted for whatever reason do not let it go unmentioned. Talk to the employee, explain the situation, and offer a remedy.

6. THERE’S NO MEANING IN THE WORK

A worker spends about a third of his or her time sleeping and a third of the time working.

When we don’t feel fulfilled, or can’t find meaning in what we spend one-third of our life doing, our feelings of despondency and disappointment poison every other part of our lives.

In an aligned company culture, every employee from vice-president to janitor, understands how his or her role fits into the bigger picture of the company’s mission.

Solution: Express gratitude for the people in an organization; stress that everyone plays an important role in keeping the company moving toward its goals. Also, if possible, try to utilize other talents an employee might have that don’t fit into their job description. For instance, a receptionist might have great writing skills. Get to know your people!

7. PROMOTING THE WRONG PERSON

Your employees will not blindly follow any leader. If your employees don’t respect your appointee you might find yourself the victim of a passive-aggressive coup d’etat.

Power is a sensitive topic and promoting the wrong person can create a domino effect of inefficiency and apathy in the office.

A recent Gallup survey found that only one person in ten can cut it in management. Oftentimes an employee is hired due to skills while attitude is ignored.

Moreover, promoting the wrong person shows you don’t have any connection to what’s going on in the office.

Solution: Listen to your employees and make it a point to read the dynamics in your office. Additionally, place value on the people skills/soft skills and not just the technical skills of a potential prospect. If the appointee isn’t someone people feel safe and comfortable around, thereby negatively affecting group cohesion, then he/she may not be the best candidate.

Engagement is about recognizing how much meaning work can and should provide to our individual and collective identities.

It’s about treating people as people, not “human capital” or a “human resource” or some other cold business term.